ComputerAddict 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: You Don't Own What You Thought You Bought: Verizon Breaks Phones; Turns Off Feature

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 12 Jul, 2011 @ 10:38am

    Re: Re:

    Altering the programming on the hardware to support their business


    "Cell companies do this to EVERY phone, Especially Verizon, all the way down to feature phones.. where you have to buy their games, from their store, for their price... This has been standard practice for 15 years."


    "AND go to Google and get them to remove existing apps that would work around their new fence"


    They've been doing this since Verizon's second Android phone. (DRIOD 1 had completely unaltered Android OS) So they've been doing this for about 2-3 years.

    It's less "flipping a switch" and more "Standard Operating Procedure"

  • On the post: You Don't Own What You Thought You Bought: Verizon Breaks Phones; Turns Off Feature

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 12 Jul, 2011 @ 10:32am

    Re: Break the Contract!?

    In your contract it probably explicitly states that hotspots / tethering are not included in the base plan.

  • On the post: You Don't Own What You Thought You Bought: Verizon Breaks Phones; Turns Off Feature

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 12 Jul, 2011 @ 10:31am

    Re:

    While I think it will lead to lawsuits against Verizon if Sony loses (although the lawsuits are probably already being filed) Verizon at least did not advertise this feature, which will make it a little different from the Sony case.

  • On the post: How Copyright Lobbyists Are Making The Child Porn Problem Worse

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 12 Jul, 2011 @ 09:29am

    Re: Re: Re:

    Have you ever tried to reason with a Zombie... Very difficult.

  • On the post: Google Wants Another Court To Determine If Accessing Open WiFi Is Wiretapping

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 12 Jul, 2011 @ 05:29am

    Re: Re:

    This comment made me think of Monty Python Argument Clinic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teMlv3ripSM

  • On the post: Secret Service Descends on Artist For Mildly Creepy Public Photography

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 11 Jul, 2011 @ 09:48am

    Re: Having been caught out with the "byline" trick,

    MIKE, it's simply lousy ergonomically to put the author's name at the side rather than in the eye's obvious path as newspapers and other web-sites do


    Yea how dare he use the same location as other forums / content management systems default location!

  • On the post: Can Health And Human Services Copyright New Smoking Package Warnings?

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 08 Jul, 2011 @ 09:19am

    Re: Re: Facts?

    The sky is actually every color but blue!

    as the eye perceives what color is reflected off the object, not the color that is absorbed by the object.

    © 2011, ComputerAddict. All Rights Reserved

  • On the post: Get Accused Of Copyright Infringement Under New Five Strikes Plan? It'll Cost You To Challenge

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 08 Jul, 2011 @ 05:37am

    Re: Re: Re: Time For Action

    careful you start googling competitive products and you might find the shortcut from stike zero to strike 5

  • On the post: Get Accused Of Copyright Infringement Under New Five Strikes Plan? It'll Cost You To Challenge

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 08 Jul, 2011 @ 05:33am

    Re: Re: Billing?

    I Accuse Anonymous Coward of Murder in the First Degree, To refute this claim you have only one option, have me launch an "independent" Investigation for the minor fee of $10,000.

    You People have your head so far in the sand. It's very sad.

  • On the post: US Airways Employee Handles Complaining Passenger The 'TSA Way'

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 07 Jul, 2011 @ 10:03am

    Re: Sue her a$$!

    "Although the TSA is a needed service in these tumultuous times"

    Proof?

  • On the post: Judge Who Doesn't Understand Technology Says WiFi Is Not A Radio Communication

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 05 Jul, 2011 @ 07:12am

    Re: Re: Judge is right...

    That should have been "the judge thinks that if he considers open wifi as radio communication that it will erode privacy on cellular networks." I got a little ahead of myself when writing that one.

  • On the post: Judge Who Doesn't Understand Technology Says WiFi Is Not A Radio Communication

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 05 Jul, 2011 @ 07:10am

    Re: Judge is right...

    Let me finish that quote for you, the Judge goes on to say:



    Should the Court interpret radio communication so broadly within the Act to include such technologies as wireless internet and cellular phones, this exception could lead to absurd results.

    Specifically, pursuant to this interpretation, an unauthorized intentional monitoring of a cellular
    phone call could be lawful should the content of the communication relate to vehicles or persons in
    distress, but unlawful otherwise


    The Judge thinks that cellphones that if he considers open WIFI as a radio communication that it will erode privacy on cellular netowrks. Which would be true, if cell networks were unencrypted... And not specifically protected by other laws like 47 CFR Part 15.37(f)

  • On the post: Judge Who Doesn't Understand Technology Says WiFi Is Not A Radio Communication

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 05 Jul, 2011 @ 07:01am

    Re: Google

    Well seeming how Google didn't even know it had the data until months after collecting those "emails, chat, file transfers, or even cleartype passwords" makes me think it was in fact a mistake.

    See this Techdirt Article, and the source link in the article: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100622/0340389918.shtml

    Also this Quote from Google when this first came out:

    In 2006 an engineer working on an experimental WiFi project wrote a piece of code that sampled all categories of publicly broadcast WiFi data. A year later, when our mobile team started a project to collect basic WiFi network data like SSID information and MAC addresses using Google's Street View cars, they included that code in their software - although the project leaders did not want, and had no intention of using, payload data.


    The problem shown is that the "emails, chat, file transfers or even cleartype passwords" where embedded in the same packets as the MAC Address / SSID packets. While there is a solution, like truncating the packet down the real problem is in the wifi protocol trying to packet every packet as full as possible instead of dedicating different packets for identification and other data.

  • On the post: Judge Who Doesn't Understand Technology Says WiFi Is Not A Radio Communication

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 05 Jul, 2011 @ 06:44am

    Re:

    "without the use of rare packet sniffing software"

    Security Through Obscurity? yea that's obviously a great business plan.

  • On the post: First Totally Bogus Privacy Issue Over Google+ Raised

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 01 Jul, 2011 @ 11:06am

    Click down arrow next to your share -> Choose "Disable Reshare"
    then people have to copy and paste your text... cause thats really hard.

  • On the post: Developer Takes Game Down Due To Piracy, But With A Twist

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 01 Jul, 2011 @ 08:23am

    Re: Re:

    I agree with you in that the model is much better, the completeness of the demo is critical in instilling trust. I take the example of the Halflife mod "Natural Selection" made by Charlie (Flayra) Cleveland. He made an awesome game in NS1, he then started a project to began to port it to Halflife 2 mod over 5 years ago and I almost pre-ordered when just starting out knowing what a great job he did with NS1. Then I almost pre-ordered again a year later because he had some cool "organic growth" demos out. Now I am glad I didn't pre-order as it's been 5 years and the BETA is barely out. He too was using pre-orders to fund development on the game.

    My Point is, 5 years is a long wait for a return on investment for a consumer to wait for a game. Far longer than I think most consumers are willing to wait. I think this business plan could get a lot of developers in trouble with people waiting for a game that may never get finished. What if only a few people buy in.. and its not enough to finish the game, do those people get a refund? This "Pay to finish" method should be carefully implemented near the very end of development when the end is truly in sight.

  • On the post: Developer Takes Game Down Due To Piracy, But With A Twist

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 01 Jul, 2011 @ 08:12am

    Re: OT/Meta Comment

    I agree, Very well written article by Chris.

  • On the post: Rihanna Sued By Yet Another Photographer Who Doesn't Understand That An Homage Is Not A Copy

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 01 Jul, 2011 @ 06:17am

    Re: Re: Re: Scope of copyright protection

    No they can copy, they just need to wait for the artist to die, then wait 100+ years (assuming their children don't start making claims on their parents work) THEN start copying and being inspired by the work. /sarc

  • On the post: Righthaven: Blame Our Clueless Lawyer, But Don't Sanction Us, For Failing To Name Stephens Media As An Interested Party

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 30 Jun, 2011 @ 11:55am

    Re: Oh what a tangled web we weave when at first we practice to deceive

    Funny thing about painting yourself into a corner... it dries in a few hours and then you can just walk away... no harm done..

  • On the post: Can Google+ Succeed Merely By Being Not Facebook?

    ComputerAddict ( profile ), 30 Jun, 2011 @ 11:12am

    Re: Re: Re:

    just because they have massive amounts of servers does not mean that the correct BETA edition software is loaded on all of them. Google themselves described it as "insane demand" I bet they we not really ready. It'd be interesting to know what their user base was before and after this "insane demand"

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